The Unjust Persecution of Helena Harper
by EvilPieIsGood
Summary: Simmons wasn't as stupid as everyone had thought, and even though he's dead now, he's going to take someone down with him. (In which Helena finds that Simmons has implicated her in the attacks, everyone believes she willingly helped him, Hunnigan and Leon have to keep her hidden and safe, Jake and Sherry help, Chris and Claire are understanding, & Helena and Ada hang out in Spain)
1. Chapter 1

She had just got into Spain, and as soon as she got off the plane, Helena slumped down in the airport bar. It had been a tense flight, trying to keep her head down, trying to keep quiet. It was hard though, stuck between a teenager with a computer, the news sites he was frequenting splashing her name and picture everywhere, and a teacher, 'who just couldn't believe the terrorists coming out of the United states these days!' Helena had barely squeaked through customs, the fake ID Hunnigan and Redfield had cobbled together a few weeks earlier had been scrutinized, but accepted. She had ordered a drink, and had just started it, when someone sat down with her, and called her by name.

"Well, hello Miss Harper. What are you doing in Spain?" Ada Wong crossed her legs, sweeping her long coat out behind her. She looked amazing, a million times more rested than Helena, and for a moment she was jealous. Wong was supposed to be dead, an "international terrorist", and she still looked better that her!

Helena flushed, before shushing her. "Quiet! Don't use my name right now." She looked around the bar, basically empty but for them, before sighing. The bartender was at the opposite end of the bar, checking his phone, and there were no security guards nearby. She was mostly safe. "I'm going by Laurie right now. Laurie Jenning. So what are you doing here?" she asked instead of answering. All she wanted was a drink and to sleep for a solid eighteen hours. Too bad she'd have to drive for at least 6 to get to her destination.

Ada arched an eyebrow. "Laurie, huh? Doesn't suit you. Helena's such a pretty name. And-" she paused, "I believe I asked you what you were doing her first." The other woman leaned on the bar, a smirk on her face.

Helena sighed. "Fine. Long version or short version? And I can't stay too long. I need to figure out how to rent a car so I can head to one of Leon's safe houses. My id is anything but foolproof." She had no idea how she was going to get a car. Last time she'd had to rent one, they'd done such a thorough check she'd almost think she was a convicted felon.

"Go with the short version. I have a flight booked for take-off in three hours that I can either catch or cancel." Ada replied. "And I think I want to see these safe houses, just in case I need to lay low next time I'm in Spain."

At least she asked for the short version. The long version would probably take a while to tell, and there would be more people coming into the bar later, a risk she didn't want to take. "Okay, so the short version is that, despite your information that cleared me and Leon from any wrongdoing in Tall Oaks, I'm still being blamed for voluntarily helping Simmons destroy the place and killing the president. So now I'm heading to a safe house while Leon and Hunnigan try and get me cleared. Leon apparently has three or so in this village that he spent time in for a mission, so I'm going to lay low there for a while." She shrugged, taking a gulp of her drink. "So, what about you then? Why are you in Spain? I'd thought you'd be lying low for a while."

Ada smiled, thinking over Helena's short and weak explanation, before replying. "Just a job, a spot of harmless espionage. Besides, I'm not the one to lay low. There's always too much to do." Ada stood, dusting off her skirt, and turned to leave Helena at the bar. "So Leon has safe houses there then? Maybe I'll come with you, then. I want to hear the entire story too."

"Wait, if you're coming, then where are you going?" Helena asked, quickly finishing her drink, clinking the glass down.

"To rent a car. Unless you want to walk to the interior of Spain, and if you say that your Id is a little flimsy, then it probably is." She sauntered out of the bar, and Helena slapped down a few bills, before going to where she'd stashed her bags. At least with Ada getting the car, she thought, they were guaranteed to get a nice one.

* * *

After shoving her suitcase, her carry-on, and a small weapons trunk into the back of the car Ada had rented, as well as maneuvering around Ada's luggage to get it fitting inside the trunk and the floor of the back seat, Helena got behind the wheel.

"So, did Leon tell you why he has safe houses in Puablo?" Ada asked from in the passenger seat, looking over the directions Leon had given Helena. "You would think he would want to completely forget about that place."

"Uh, well he said he knows this guy there who helped him, and they got a few places fixed up, just in case. And so he could keep an eye on the place, make sure there's no more cases of the Plaga being exported from that area." Helena said, concentrating on driving. There would be plenty of time to relay her story, once they were out of the city and off the freeway.

"Hm…I wonder how he managed to keep in touch with that merchant?" Ada asked herself, quirking an eyebrow. "I doubt he has a phone."

"Probably not. Leon said it's a pretty rural area. But he's gone back a few time, since the first time he was there." At Ada's inquisitive look, Helena elaborated. "He went back a few weeks ago, while I was still hiding out at Claire Redfield's place, to double check that the places were still secure, and I asked where he was headed."

"You were staying with a Redfield? I suppose they told you that I was dead, hm?" Ada said, leaning back in her seat.

"Well, yeah, they told me that, but then I saw you and Leon punching the shit outta Simmons. They also said you were this big evil genius mastermind behind the China attack. I doubt that though." Helena shrugged, before realizing what she'd said. "Well, not to say you're stupid or anything. Just…I don't know. You don't seem like the kind of person to set a place on fire and then try and save the people inside from dying."

Ada went quiet, and for a while, Helena was worried that she'd offended the woman.

"Simmons had figured out how to clone people. A sample of my DNA, an unsuspecting close genetic match, and an injection of the C-Virus created my clone. She used to be a woman name Carla…Carla Radames." Ada sighed. "I looked her up after the incident. She was a brilliant woman. I don't know why she hung around someone as dense as Derek though."

Helena just hummed, not to sure what to say. "So, you want to hear my story then?" she finally asked, and Ada smiled.

"Oh yes. I've been waiting for you to start ever since we got in this car. So how did Derek manage to dupe everyone in regards to you?"

Helena shook her head. "It wasn't that hard, really. Just some incriminating papers with my name on them, a few recorded meetings after he took my sister, and they had all the "proof" they needed. Anyway, Leon and I hadn't even picked up Chris, or Jake and Sherry, when Hunnigan told us the ruling…"

* * *

A/N: This started as a 'Helena still gets blamed for Tall Oaks and has to hide out while Leon and Hunnigan beat people in to understanding she had nothing to do with it', evolved into a 'maybe she hangs out with Jake doing Merc work?' and is now, finally, a 'Hangs out in Spain with Ada and chats and gossips about Leon' thing.

I think I'll try and lay out this as drabbles? Like, the first few chapters establishing the plots, and then the rest random points in time dealing with the Helena Issue ™ or having Helena and Ada swing down and save Leon's ass?  
idk tho haha OTL


	2. Chapter 2

"Hunnigan? This is Leon. We got him, Simmons. He's dead." Helena was more occupied with keeping her and Leon in the air, so she didn't bother adding anything to Leon's initial transmission to Hunnigan.

"Understood Leon. But…there's still an issue of your innocence. Leon, the Vice-President, er… the President is willing to give you a free pass, but Helena-" Hunnigan paused, and Helena felt her heart sink. "Helena, they want you brought into custody."

The small helicopter dipped and wavered as Helena jerked, shocked but not surprised. She had figured that the government would see her as an accomplice, even if they saw the evidence against Simmons.

Leon, however, was surprised. "What? That can't be right. Helena was forced to help him!" he growled, upset and annoyed. He pulled out the compact that Ada had left behind, and inserted the memory card into his phone. "Here. Ada left this memory card for us. It should have information to prove Helena's innocence as well."

Hunnigan shook her head though. "I don't think that will really help Leon, but we can give it a try. Apparently, Simmons had left some papers around, papers with your signatures on them, Helena, and their taking that as proof." She paused again, before whispering into her headset, "There was also some sort of video, apparently, that shows you agreeing to assist him. They're using it against you, Helena."

This time, Helena was surprised, and horrified. She managed to keep control over the helicopter though, as she replied. "What….? But, I would never…There is no way that's true!" She was okay with the prospect of being taken in if they'd known that Simmons had blackmailed her, but if they honestly thought she had been willing to assist Simmons…

"Hunnigan, what can we do? I'm sorry, but I'm not going to hand her over, not for something she had no choice in. We're partners, I can't let this happen." Leon scowled out the window, before turning to Helena.

"Leon…" Helena started, "Thank you. Sorry Hunnigan."

"It's perfectly okay," Hunnigan replied, and Helena could hear frantic typing. "They're just being thick-headed. I just wish I could do more to help. I've got the most experience here, now that Simmons is gone, and they still won't tell me anything." She sounded so annoyed, and Helena could imagine her scowling at her computer, angrily typing in god knows what. Hopefully sending along the data Leon had given her.

"So, what do we do then? Because I don't want people thinking that I actually helped him." Helena asked, finally navigating out of the city and over the country side. Looking through the window, she could see infected roaming around, and decided against landing.

Hunnigan grunted. "I'm not sure, but you need to get to that oil-rig, the ones I sent the B.S.A.A. to. I just heard from Sherry and Jake. They need an evac before it sinks. Can you get there?"

Helena checked the interments in front of her. "Yeah, we can get them. So long as Leon doesn't decide to start flying. You don't want to be fishing us out of the ocean." She smiled at Leon, who tried to look affronted, but instead sighed and shook his head.

"Just give us the coordinates, Hunnigan, and I'll try not to direct Helena into a mountain or something."

Hunnigan chuckled, but it was a distracted laugh. She sent Leon the coordinates, before signing off. "I'll keep in touch okay? And I'll let you two know what they say, after looking at what you gave me, Leon."

The oil-rig wasn't too far from them, so Helena changed their course, moving away from the countryside and towards the ocean. They both stayed silent for almost twenty minutes, until Leon couldn't handle it anymore.

"What the hell are we going to do, Helena? They're going to want you in custody the minute we touch down on American soil, if they don't try to make Sherry arrest you as soon as we pick her up."

Helena didn't want to answer, but she knew if she stayed quiet the entire flight Leon would work himself up into a fervour trying to figure out answers to his questions. "Then we cut coms. We keep in contact with Hunnigan only. Besides, Simmons was Sherry's contact, remember? As far as we know, no one else has taken over."

With the oil-rig quickly coming into view, Leon shut up again, letting Helena concentrate on getting them over to it before the entire thing crumbled, sinking into the ocean. As she made her way over the helipad, occupied by what she assumed Redfield had used to get there from the sight of a VTOL, Leon leaned out the side, trying to spot their two passengers.

"There they are, down there-" he pointed to an elevator, two figures standing near it. "Helena, how close can you get us?"

"They'll have to use a ladder, but they won't have to climb far." She replied, swinging over them.

Leon tossed the ladder out, and after a few moments, a very dirty, worn out, and half-asleep Sherry Birkin climbed aboard.

"Hey…" Sherry smiled at Helena, before collapsing in the back, covering her eyes and groaning.

"I hate China…" she muttered, and Helena had to agree.

"You're not the only one, Super Girl." Jake said, climbing up and sitting next to Sherry. It seemed like once they knew that the other was on board, they both relaxed, closing their eyes and slumping against each other.

Leon pulled the ladder up, before looking to Helena.

"They're cute." She whispered with a smile. "I think we should let them sleep though. Questions can wait."

"Yeah." Helena was content to pull away, when Hunnigan called again.

"Bad news. They're still not willing to clear Helena. Leon, they want you to take her in the minute you guys land."

"Even with the info from Ada?" Leon asked, tensely.

"Even with that. It proved that you two didn't actually start the attack, but it still implicates Helena in the death of the President. And, don't worry, I didn't tell the committee where you got that information from. Chances are, if they knew you got it from 'Ada Wong, the woman who caused an outbreak in Edonia, the woman who kidnapped an operative and a person of interest and held them captive for six months, and the woman who destroyed Langshiang', it would be thrown out and we would all be dragged in front of a judge." Hunnigan frowned. "How are Jake and Sherry?"

"Fine, I think." Helena said as she rose away from the destroyed oil rig. "Tired and worn out and filthy. Just like the rest of us." She started to fly off, lower than on her approach, when she noticed something bobbing in the waves. "Leon. What's that?" she asked, cutting off communications with Hunnigan.

Leon leaned over, peering down. "It looks like an escape pod. Should we stop and take a look?"

Helena wanted to say no. Helena wanted to fly away, find a hotel, take a shower, and sleep for a million years. Helena also didn't want to be labelled the accomplice of the man who killed the president, so she flew in closer while Leon tried to see who, or what was in the pod.

"I…I think that's Chris!" Leon said, motioning Helena to move a little closer. "But it's just him…didn't he have another soldier with him before?"

Jake answered him, blurry eyed and moments from sleep. "Yeah, he did. Saw em back on the rig." He yawned, closing his eyes again. Helena just looked at Leon.

"…Maybe there's another escape pod then." She said, even though she didn't believe it. Leon clamoured for the ladder as Chris looked up at the helicopter. Once Leon had tossed down the ladder, Chris climbed up, looking wrung out.

"Tough day?" Helena asked but he just grunted.

"Piers died. Let get the fuck out of here." He climbed into the back of the helicopter, taking the ladder from Leon once it was back in the chopper. "Let's get the hell out of China."

"Fuck yeah…" Jake muttered, before finally succumbing to exhaustion alongside Sherry.

The helicopter was big enough to hold six, but for now, Chris stood, facing away from Jake and Sherry, watching the sky through the windshield.

"Did you kill him? Simmons, the one who killed the President and started all of this shit?" Chris abruptly asked, and Helena nodded.

"Yeah…the bastard wouldn't stay down, but we finally got him. To think…this all started because he was worried what would happen if the President told the world about Raccoon City." Helena shook her head, and the helicopter once again descended into silence.

As they approached the shore, Helena gently set the helicopter down while Leon turned to rouse Jake, Sherry, and Chris, who'd fallen asleep not long after his question was answered.

"Hey, we're on solid ground again, but not out of China. Out of Lanshiagn though." Leon said as the three groggily opened their eyes.

"You all look like hell." Helena commented, and Sherry managed to crack a grin.

"I think everyone does." She replied, before untangling herself from Jake and climbing out of the machine.

Once everyone was out and awake, Leon started to talk.

"Guys, we have a problem. Simmons is dead, but he's still managing to sow some discord."

"What do you mean? Is there going to be another attack?" Jake asked, furrowing his brow.

"No, it's not that…Simmons…left behind some papers…That implicate me in the attack on Tall Oaks and the death of President Benford. " Helena said, ready for any reactions. Anger, shock, an attempt to bring her in even.

"And I'm going to help Helena go on the run." Leon interrupted, shocking Helena. "I'm going to need help getting her back into the states so Hunnigan and I can get digging, so we can prove that Helena was blackmailed into helping him." Leon said, as everyone else looked at him in surprise…

A/N: Chapter 2! :D Thanks for reading~

In the next chapter, Ada will complain because Helena stopped the story, and Helena will complain because the car Ada got was half empty. And she's hungry.


	3. Chapter 3

"Well?" Ada asked, obviously interested in Helena's story and not quite ready for her to stop telling it.

"Well, we're stopping because we need gas and the only thing in my stomach is that drink from the bar." Helena replied, pulling into a gas station. "Anyways, you would not believe how shocked I was when Leon said that. I thought he'd take me in, but fight for me through the legal system. I never thought he would take me on the run."

"I'm surprised that Leon said that too…I always though he was too much of a boy scout to think of doing something like that." Ada said, climbing out of the car to stretch her legs.

Helena quickly filled the car up, not exactly sure what she was putting in the car. Ada, on the other hand, went to go look around the gas station. When Helen joined her, they found themselves staring at a pitiful assortment of food.

"I…guess I could just grab some chips or something?" Helena said, turning away from the decrepit sandwiches, but Ada shook her head.

"In that car? No…There is a small place I saw over there though." Ada pointed through the window to a café.

"But will it be safe?" Helena asked, a little nervous. Being out in the gas station was worrying enough, she didn't want to go and sit down and have someone recognize her face.

"Oh, it will be fine. Look at this place; do you really think they pay much attention to American news?" Ada brushed off Helena's worries, before getting into the car to move it into a parking space. "Now come on, I'm hungry for some more of your story. You can talk and eat, right?"

Helena snorted. "Yes, but if I'm eating in a little place like that, I'm taking my time, savoring the food. I haven't had anything god to eat since…well, since before Tall Oaks and China." Helena paused.

"Deborah had taken me out for dinner…. Just a little thing we did every once in a while. Italian, I think."

Ada didn't say anything as they headed over to the café, and as they entered, everyone turned to look…at Ada. They were quickly ushered to a table, and Helena let Ada order something for her.

"Uhm…What's with all the staring?" She asked, once the waiter had gone.

"Well," Ada started, "You know how I…ran into Leon here?"

"Ran into? He told me that you put a gun to his back…a few hours after saving his life." Helena retorted, raising an eyebrow.

"So he told you everything, then?" Ada sighed, before continuing. "Anyway, after I left Leon to get Miss. Graham back home safely, I stopped in this little town for a spell. I…well, I won't go into detail, but I caused a bit of a stir. They know my face."

The waiter quickly returned with two glasses of fizzy water and a small basket of bread rolls, which Ada gratefully accepted.

As Helena reached for one of the rolls, Ada took a quick sip of her water. "That's not to say what I did was illegal…just big and showy. So don't worry, we're not going to get arrested or anything."

"Which is a relief, because these rolls are the best thing I've eaten in weeks." Helena said, finishing on and reaching for her glass. "So, Leon only told me a little bit about Spain. He glossed over a bunch of areas, excluding when he was talking about you. So I don't actually know a lot about why you were there."

As the food arrived, and was consumed, Ada told Helena some about her reasons for being in Spain.

"Wesker…Wesker…I know that name but I'm not sure why…Well, it's Jake's last name, but I doubt you were working for him." Helena said, polishing off her plate. Somehow, Ada had done all the talking while they ate.

"Albert Wesker…A moron, really. He was responsible for Redfield and Valentine taking up arms against Umbrella, and got himself killed in Africa." Ada too was finished her meal, and waved the waiter over. "And I wasn't truly working for him….he was merely the means to an end, but that's not important." She said as she pulled out a credit card from her coat.

"Of course…that couldn't have made Chris like you any more if he knew, huh?" Helena said, watching Ada convers with the waiter in Spanish, before standing. "I guess we'd better keep going then?"

For the first time in a long while, Helena felt good. She had good food in her stomach, she had company who wasn't going to turn her in, or at least she hoped Ada wasn't going to turn her in, and she didn't feel like crawling under a rock and crying until everyone went away. But as soon as they stepped out of the comfort of the café, the worried feelings returned.

"Agreed. But now it's your turn to talk again," As they exited the café, Helena cast a worried eye around her, waiting for someone to pop up and haul her away.

"They are not going to find you here, Harper. Listen, the first rule is to act like you belong. If you act all skittish and scared like you are now, then you're going to attract more attention to yourself." Ada finally said, before making her way to the car.

Helena shook her head a little, before following after. It was hard to act like she belonged when she had spent most of her time hiding since China. With a sigh, she slid into the car with Ada, and prepared to continue her story.

"Anyways, so we're all standing there, and I'm gaping at Leon…"

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry. This is a horrible chapter. Absolutely horrible. But I didn't want to look at it anymore, s it's getting posted, sorry. The next one should be better, and I'll probably come back and update this…later :I


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